Worldwide Sports News

The Manitoba Moose have come to terms with Jaydon Dureau on a one-year contract beginning this fall.

A product of White City, Saskatchewan, the 24-year-old will look to stick with his second American Hockey League team over the past six seasons, to which he has played parts of each of the past five years with the Syracuse Crunch.

Selected in the fifth round of the 2020 NHL Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning, Dureau has bounced between the Crunch and Tampa Bay's ECHL affiliate, the Orlando Solar Bears ever year.

Standing six-foot and 176 pounds, the slight winger has yet to find his scoring touch at the AHL level, despite putting up 29 goals and 73 points in 103 ECHL games. In 36 AHL games, he has just three goals and seven points.

Dureau was a point-per-game player at the WHL level, to which he played out his career with the Portland Winterhawks, scoring 65 times and adding 131 assists for 196 points in 207 games. 

The contract is a standard one-year, AHL agreement, meaning he can bounce between the AHL and ECHL with no issue. He would need to sign an NHL deal should the Jets feel the need to recall him to the big league. 

Welcome to The Hockey News - Vancouver Canucks site’s player preview series for the 2025–26 season. In these articles, we’ll preview the players who are expected to play for the Canucks in the 2025–26 season. Today, we’ll be taking a look at the Abbotsford Canucks’ leading scorer during the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs, Linus Karlsson.  

Karlsson’s 2024–25 Season

Karlsson had a very successful 2024–25 season for both Vancouver and Abbotsford. In the NHL, the forward made his mark as a netfront presence, potting his first career NHL goal on January 29 against the Nashville Predators. He finished the NHL regular season with three goals and three assists in 23 games, putting up 28 total shots on goal. Karlsson is one of a few Abbotsford players who are expected to push for a roster spot come Vancouver’s training camp in the fall. 

In the AHL, Karlsson took his game to another level. He scored 23 goals and 16 assists in 32 games played, averaging over a point per game despite not being in the lineup for a full season. Once the playoffs rolled around, Karlsson flourished even more, finishing the postseason as the league’s points leader with 14 goals and 12 assists in 24 games played. He also broke an AHL record for goals scored by a Swedish player in a single postseason. 

Karlsson’s 2024–25 Letter Grade

For his growth in the 2024–25 season, Karlsson received a B- on the season, as he made some steps to becoming a full-time NHLer but will need to do more to stick in the lineup. With that being said, from how his play has developed over the past year, it’s clear that Karlsson has found a particular role to play and plans to stick with it going into 2025–26 — regardless of whether this is in the NHL or AHL.  

Karlsson’s 2025–26 Predictions

As a key member of Abbotsford and a solid depth option for Vancouver, Karlsson will likely improve on his performance from this season now that he has spent more time playing hockey at the NHL level. The 2025 Abbotsford MVP will look to make a bigger mark with the Canucks, potentially fitting into a third or fourth-line role while continuing to pot goals at the side of opponents’ nets. 

The Evolution Of Vancouver And Abbotsford Canucks Forward Linus KarlssonWhen the Vancouver Canucks acquired Linus Karlsson on February 25, 2019, fans had mixed feelings. The piece going back to the San Jose Sharks in exchange was Jonathan Dahlén, a player who had previously shown flashes of success alongside franchise cornerstone at the time Elias Pettersson. Some had even referred to the two as the second-coming of the Sedin twins. Still, the 19-year-old Karlsson had the belief of Canucks general manager at the time, Jim Benning, behind him. 

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:

Vitali Kravtsov Returns To The Vancouver Canucks, NHL After Two Years In The KHL

Canucks Elias Pettersson "Learning From What Happened Last Season To Become A Better And More Mature Player For Next Year."

Vancouver Canucks 2025–26 Player Preview: Aatu Räty

Adam Kierszenblat’s Stat Prediction: 10G, 10A, 20P 

Izzy Cheung’s Stat Prediction: 11G, 9A, 20P 

Bold Prediction: Karlsson plays 40 games with Vancouver in 2025–26. 

Player Preview Articles 

Aatu Räty

Conor Garland

Jake DeBrusk

Brock Boeser

Elias Pettersson

Quinn Hughes

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.

The new CBA will bring numerous changes to the way the NHL currently operates. It will change salary structures, put an end to the playoffs' salary loophole, allow players more freedom about the way they dress, and the list goes on and on, but one crucial clause hasn’t received much coverage yet.

In Thursday’s edition of La Presse, Simon-Olivier Lorange reports that from the 2027 draft, teams will have four years to sign the 18-year-old players they draft. These days, they have four years to sign players who are plying their trade in the NCAA, but only two years for players who are competing in the CHL. If a team drafts an overeager player (a player who’s in his second year of eligibility and is 19), like the Montreal Canadiens have done a few times of late (like Florian Xhekaj, for instance), they’ll have three years to put pen to paper with them.

Canadiens: Recovering From A Second ACL Injury Is A Big Deal
Canadiens: Most Heated Rivalry Shows No Sign Of Cooling Off
Canadiens Should Have Big Delegation Of Prospects At WJC

Why could that mean more local players for the Canadiens? This will simply give the team more time to evaluate CHL draftees before deciding on those players. No matter how thorough a team is with their scouting, 18-year-old players are raw products. They have so much left to learn and so much more development to come. Projecting them in the future is a tall order, and having just two years to evaluate them isn’t much.

The two-year deadline on signing CHL products before losing their rights left very little room for late bloomers. While generational talents can be ready to jump right into the NHL action after being drafted, others need more time to come into their own. There’s no proof that this state of affairs prevented the Canadiens and other teams from drafting more CHLers, but there is no doubt this new development will make life a bit easier on teams.

---

Canadiens stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, never to miss a story.  

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.

Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.

Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.

If James Malatesta can put it all together, he's going to be a force in the NHL.

Malatesta turned pro in 2023 after spending four outstanding years with the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL. After amassing 187 points in junior and winning the QMJHL playoff MVP, he was off to the pros. He would total 56 goals if you take into account all the games he played in the Q, Q playoffs, and Memorial Cup.

James Malatesta played in 56 games for the Cleveland Monsters in his rookie season. He would score 12 goals and total 22 points. He has a motor that never quits and can skate really well, and it showed. Malatesta finished 11th on the team in scoring and 10th in games played. He did have a team-high 79 PIMs, though, which is how he plays his game.

Late in the season, in a surprising move, Malatesta was called up to play for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Due to the injury situation, Malatesta and several other Monsters got an opportunity to play some real NHL minutes.

He would make his NHL debut on March 26th against the Arizona Coyotes. He didn't get on the score sheet, but he did make his presence known. He would get 11:43 of ice time and get into a fight. Not a bad night.

Malatesta would get his first NHL point against the Philadelphia Flyers on April 6th, an assist. He played 10:58.

On April 13th in Smashville, after playing 9 games, he would have a career game. He played 12:55, had 3 shots, and scored his first goal. He also added an assist in the loss to the Predators. He was flying around the ice all night; he was fun to watch.

In the next game, the season finale at home against the Carolina Hurricanes, he would again have a good game. Malatesta scored his 2nd NHL goal while playing 13:01 on the ice. He is making himself highly visible.

He was returned to the Monsters after the CBJ season to help them win their division and the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Malatesta only played 9 games throughout the playoffs, scoring only a single goal and adding one assist.

The 2024-25 season saw Malatesta play a pair of games for Columbus in December. He averaged around 10:30 of ice time and was held off the score sheet. But it was important that he played. 

For Cleveland, he played in only 41 games and scored 14 points. Unfortunately for Malatesta and the Monsters, he suffered an upper body injury that held him out of the lineup until March. In a combo of injuries and a sophomore slump, Malatesta did not have the year he wanted. 

James Malatesta will need to step up and have a good season in 25-26. Why? Because he's going to be a restricted free agent next summer, and will need a new contract. GM Don Waddell doesn't hesitate to let players walk if he thinks they won't bring anything to the team in the future. So, he'll need to stay healthy and be productive. 

The Cleveland Monsters will be very young next season and will need all the help they can get. Malatesta will have Luca Del Bel Belluz, Hunter McKown, and Owen Sillinger with him. But they'll also have newcomers Oiva Keskinen, Luca Pinelli, and Jack Williams to put in some goals too. 

James Malatesta isn't expected to put in 25 goals or collect 50 points, but he is expected to contribute. He has a scoring touch and brings physicality to the ice. 

James Malatesta Scouting Report

Strengths:

Skating: Malatesta's skating is an asset, with excellent acceleration, speed, and the ability to drive the puck through the neutral zone. 

Energy and Intensity: He plays with a high motor, is not afraid to throw hits, and engages physically to win puck battles and create turnovers. 

Shooting: He possesses a quick and accurate wrist shot, often firing on the fly, and is a threat on odd-man rushes. 

Offensive Instincts: Malatesta is good at finding open ice, jumping on opportunities, and making quick plays to generate scoring chances. 

Weaknesses:

Decision-Making: Needs to improve his passing and off-puck play, as he can sometimes prioritize intensity over making the best play. He takes bad penalties sometimes due to his physicality. 

Offensive Creativity: While he can finish plays, he doesn't possess the vision or playmaking skills of a top-tier offensive player. 

Consistency: His production can be inconsistent, and he needs to find a way to translate his energy and physical play into more consistent offensive contributions. 

Overall:

Malatesta is a prospect with a high floor, likely to become a reliable bottom-six forward in the NHL. He brings a lot of energy, a strong work ethic, and the ability to contribute in various ways, making him a player who can impact the game even without elite offensive skills. If he can put it together, expect him to be pushing for a roster spot in Columbus soon. But first, he has to prove it in 25-26.    

Does he have a chance to make the team? Many say no, but I wouldn't count him out if I were you.

What do you think? Please share your thoughts on our forum below. 

More From THN Columbus

James van Riemsdyk Has High Praise For Zach WerenskiJames van Riemsdyk appeared on Daily Faceoff's Morning Cuppa Hockey with Jonny Lazarus & Colby Cohen today, and had some very flattering things to say about superstar defenseman Zach Werenski.  How Far Will The Columbus Blue Jackets Travel In The 2025-26 Season?Every NHL team travels, it's just what needs to happen when you play every team in the league. But with teams all over North America, some teams travel more than others.  Blue Jackets Biggest Trade Chips: Yegor ChinakhovAs we slowly navigate through the dog days of summer, there's likely going to be an increase in trade rumors as we creep toward the start of the 2025-26 NHL season.